MOROCCO: GARDENS AND MORE Part I, Guest Post by Susan Kean

In the Medina of Chefchaouen, Morocco.

My friend Susan Kean recently returned from a trip to Morocco which focused on the variety of Moroccan gardens. I thank her for sharing her wonderful photos and descriptions. I have never been to Morocco, but I am fascinated by how each person experiences the country in their own way.

Inside Le Jardin Secret

Our trip to Morocco with the Mediterranean Garden Society started in Marrakech. Our accommodation was in the Medina (old Town) and there is no access by car or bus. Lots of walking!The tour started with a reception for the whole group of about 60 of us at Le Jardin Secret. Lots of French spoken here since the French were over Morocco from 1912 to 1956.

This garden was made of lots of formal rectangles of familiar plants such as Rosemary, box, roses. Lots of cactus too.

Next two days we visited a whole variety of Moroccan Gardens and the Water Museum. 

Mohammed V1 Museum of Water Civilization opened in 2017
Covers everything about water including describing court that decides how the precious water resources should be distributed.

Moroccans believe that water is a gift from God. Like us, they are challenged by drought, so everything is about access to water. Though water plays a big part in Marrakech, gardens there have their own wells. 

Our guide pointed out how the cacti are all pointing to the sun.

Looked almost artificial! The only cactus in flower in the whole garden.

Resident camel.

Next garden was called the Anima garden. After that was the Cactus farm. Even though cactus are not native to North Africa. They are everywhere.

This was the Berber museum within the YSL garden. Berbers were the original Moroccan people.

The third day we visited the beautiful Yves Saint Laurent Museum and Gardens

View of the old town ( Medina)of Fez.

The next stage of our Moroccan trip was heading North toward Tangier stopping for two nights in Fez and a trip to Chefchaouen.

Outside the Royal Palace.

Fez is very multicultural, combining Moorish, Jewish, Berber, and Arab cultures.

Our bedroom window in Fez.

We stayed in another hotel on the edge of the Medina so the buses could get quite close.

Tanning leather. I did buy a purse!

We had a tour visiting the outside of one of the Royal Palaces, a pottery making factory, a tannery, a former school and a public garden.

Chefchaouen. Everywhere is painted blue.

Chefchaouen was an a really pretty city in the mountains. Culture includes Berbers, Muslims, and Jews from Spain. A lot of Spanish influence in the architecture.

Part II, a visit to Tangier, will post next week.

Check out these other posts for more about Morocco at The Intrepid Tourist:

Marrakech, Fes and Rabat, By Kathryn Mohrmn  

16 Days in Morocco Part 1, By Tom and Susan Weisner  

16  Days in Morocco, Part 2, By Tom and Susan Weisner